GREAT WELCOME

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24049, 21 August 1941, Page 10

GREAT WELCOME

CHURCHILL'S RETURN HISTORIC CONFERENCES "CHARTER OF THE ATLANTIC" (Reed. 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, August 20 Amazing scenes marked the arrival of Mr. Churchill in London. When his train pulled into the station an official party, comprising generals, admirals and air marshals and leading members of the Cabinet, led by Mrs. Churchill, ran down the platform to greet the Prime Minister. Every vantage point overlooking the platform was thronged with people. Mr. Churchill's first words were: "It's good to be back in London again!" Navy's Task Well Done Mr. A. V. Alexander, First Lord of the Admiralty, was greeted by Mr. Churchill with the remark: "You've done it very well," in tribute to the way the Navy carried him safely on his historic journey. Mr. Alexander replied: "The Royal Navy was proud to carry you, but your safe return has taken a load off my mind." Terrific cheers swelled around them as the official party crossed the station approach to a waiting car. Mr. Churchill, time and time again, raised his cap in acknowledgment. The crowd at the station was so great that traffic had to be held up and a passage cleared for Mr. Churchill's car. Mr. Churchill will broadcast on Sunday at 9 p.m. Audience of King Mr. Churchill had an audience of the King to-day and afterward lunched with him at Buckingham Palace. Mr. Churchill was loudly cheered by a large crowd as be drove from Downing Street. This afternoon Mr. Churchill, accompanied bv Mrs. Churchill, saw a private showing at the Ministry of Information of the film of his meeting with President Roosevelt. The King attended the screening. Although the exact day on which Mr. Churchill left Britain for the meeting with President Roosevelt is not revealed, Mr. Churchill must have been absent from London for nearly a fortnight. It is reported that he has been compiling a full detailed record of his conference with Mr. Roosevelt for preservation in Whitehall archives. The British Ambassador, Viscount Halifax, told the New York press that he had no doubt that if the war goes on it may be useful if Mr. Churchill and Mr. Roosevelt find an opportunity to meet again. The Prime Minister won all hearts at Reykjavik, Iceland, on the occasion of bis" visit, and is the subject of many leading articles in the Reykjavik press. One declares: "It is fitting that the smallest democratic nation in the world should be the first visited by the British Prime Minister after his historic conference with President Roosevelt." REBUILDING TOWNS PLANNING NEW WORK AUTHORITY EXERCISED (Reed. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 19 The planned rebuilding of towns which have suffered heavily in air raids was mentioned to-day by the chairman of the War Damage Commission, Mr. Trustram Eve, says the British official wireless. He said he had just toured these towns, and, although everyone -would wish it to have come -about another way, a long-needed opportunity had been given by the raids to carry out a very necessary measure of replanting. Mr. Eve revealed that in about 16 cities,» including London, Birmingham, Coventry, Liverpool, Plymouth and Sheffield, power given by Parliament to prohibit rebuilding except with permission of the authority had been exercised, with the result that no rebuilding could take place until those concerned with good planning had completed their scheme. Mr. Eve added that comprehensive [ legislation dealing with the whole subject of planning was contemplated. CONTINUE AFTER WAR GOVERNMENT CONTROLS MR. MENZIES* STATEMENT SYDNEY, August 20 The conviction that the wartime controls now being exercised by the Federal Government would continue to operate after the war was expressed by the Prime Minister ; Mr. Menzies, in a speech to 300 business, men, who entertained him at dinner. "In the last two years," Mr. Menzies said, "you have seen the introduction of profits control and price regulation. New departments of the Government have laid their hands on private enterprise, and policies have been pursued which are designed to affect the cost of living and interest rates. 1 hope none will imagine that these just and equitable things that have been done during the war will cease when peace has been won. They will not. "This country has been learning new things during the war —new things about human relations, the responsibilities of the Government and the responsibilities of those who are the masters of men. What we have been doing, however ■ imperfectly, is laying the foundations of a new order, here and now, while the war is going on."